Open to offers!
 

We plan to visit USA from Europe in mid-February - taking advantage of the current €/$ exchange rate but more importantly escaping cold and dark weather.

Unusually for Irish people we do not have any close relatives in USA and so are free to choose any State to visit. Therefore, we are wide open to readers suggestions and Forum tips.

What we would like is a destination for one week that is warm (jumpers -yes/coats - no), relaxed and relaxing, not overrun by tourists but with sufficient things to do to keep two curious adults and two even-more-curious children (7yrs and 5yrs)occupied. Off-the-beaten track is an advantage (Tennessee looks good - California/New York less so).

So, here is a chance for Forum readers to boost their State's tourism earnings by wooing this family to your State!

All ideas carefully considered and we will post our final choice on this forum shortly before Christmas.

Thanks

Tim

No thanks.

<i>Tennessee looks good - California/New York less so.</i>

I like your unique point of view!

I live in Washington, but I would send you and your family to Southern California. You will find plenty to do in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego.

For weather information:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/event...om=wed_setdate

Happy Trails to You

I think you may find even Tennessee could be cold.

I live in Southern Florida and we get a cold snap for a couple of weeks and it could be quite cold in Central Florida.

Although it may or may not be pool weather then, central Florida has quite a bit to do.

DisneyWorld for starters and the other attractions. There an Orlando resident on the board who knows the attractions well. Hopefully he'll join in.

Also, the further South you go the longer are those short winter days.

If you want a destination that is so warm that you won't need coats in February, then you will be limited to the deep South and West coast, I would think. Tennessee will probably require a coat in February, so even that won't be warm enough.

Florida will be warm enough, but I can't think of anyplace in Florida that is &quot;off the beaten path.&quot; And Southern California definitely is as ON the beaten path as it gets.

New Orleans would also be warm, and there is a lot to do there, but again, not really off the beaten path either.

Maybe Atlanta, Georgia, or San Antonio, Texas?

Definitely agree that you need to look Southern CA / Arizona or South Florida for that time of year. Otherwise, you will have cold / snow (Tennessee has snow that time of year - even Northern FL can get snow)

Charleston South Carolina.

New Orleans, Louisiana.

Tennessee will be cold.

Anywhere in Florida will be packed with visitors in mid February because that is a huge school break for New Englanders.

Wow but you're quick on this forum! Thanks.

OK lets scratch Tennessee - shows you what I kmow about US weather!

Of the suggestions S. Carolina /S. Antonio sound most promising. Any other Louisiana offers than N. Orleans.

I'm not so sure about Florida - especially those parts that are home to Disney. I spent a week in Orlando/Kissimmee a few years ago, vainly looking for the centre. Turned out there wasn't one - shows you what I know about US urban planning!

Thanks again

Tim

Arizona- Phoenix, Sedona, Grand Canyon and the Navajo lands, Tucson, dude ranches, cowboys, the old west, Tombstone, Bisbee.

It might be warm enough to sit by the pool and enjoy the sun. Usually up to the mid-70's by February. (About 23 C).

Your family could easily enjoy a week in Florida without going the Disney route. Miami, the keys, and the Everglades come to mind.

The west coast of the state is also interesting. Corkscrew Swamp, near Naples, is a bird sanctuary of the kind you won't find in Ireland. An excellent boardwalk staffed with guides is maintained by the Audubon Society.

Farther north is one of Edison's workshops, a circus museum, and much more.

Thanks again (esp Happytrailstoyou).

The shortlist is now as follows:

S. Carolina (Columbia or Charleston?)
San Antonio
Disney-free Florida (Fort Myers?)

Still open for Louisiana ideas and is there a reason nobody has proposed Alabama?

Tim

Yes, there is a reason. The warm parts of Alabama don't offer as much to see for visitors as some of the other suggestions. (I like Mobile fine, but it's not exactly a tourist hot spot.)

There are just other warm places with a lot more to see and do, especially for kids. I actually think a dude ranch in Arizona would be something that might be fun for a family, plus the Grand Canyon and Sedona and everything else in Arizona.

I live in North Carolina and we can have a fine day or two in February, but it isn't going to fit your criteria.
Here are my ideas:
a. CHARLESTON-beautiful city with a great choice of historical points of interest, restaurants, shopping and lovely for a walker. (skip Columbia)
b. SAN ANTONIO-wonderful city with many of the same qualities as Charleston though with a very Western flavor. ,maybe slip up to Austin for the music scene or down to Padre Island for a little beach time.
c. The Panhandle of FLORIDA and ALABAMA-no huge tourist destinations but plenty of pretty beaches and small towns to engage you.
If none of these interest you, give us another chance to make some suggestions.
I think the only bright side of the current devaluation of our currency is that we are getting so many wonderful visitors from Europe.
Oh, if you decide to visit again say in late April-October, I will be glad to suggest some wonderful places in North Carolina.
Welcome to the USA!

Here is a thought: St. Augustine, Florida. I think it would meet your weather requirements but would have a lot of other positives too.

1. Two outlet shopping malls.

2. 400+ years of history (America's oldest city) including the Castillo de San Marcos &lt;http://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm&gt;

3. Many good and very reasonable restaurants

4. A few attractions that will appeal to children (St. Augustine Alligator Farm, Fiesta Falls Miniature Golf Course) but reasonable proximity to Central FL, 2 hours/100 miles away by car

5. Art Galleries

Think about it. You can research it very well here.

Now we're getting places. One hour ago, my focus was on a rather large swathe of America. Now I'm down to looking at St. Augustine Florida pop. 12,000.(Thanks Orlando_Vic).

I haven't given up on S. Carolina either. I travelled down the I 95 a number of years ago with a bunch of desperados who were amazed to find we were stopping overnight in a &quot;dry&quot; county in S. Carolina. They were even more amazed after we drove to the next county to the nearest bar to find it was huge and also empty - &quot;The only [expletive deleted] bar for 25 miles and it is [further expletive deleted] empty&quot; was the pithiest remark. Truly they did not understand the South! And maybe I don't either.

Taking cmcfong's advice I'll scratch Columbia and add-in Charleston.

Still not convinced by San Antonio -Texan websites seem to be built to a different logical design so I'm struggling to absorb the official propaganda. If it is the 8th largest city in the US - maybe a smaller place within 90 minutes drive might be better.



Updated short-list:

Fort Myers/Naples
St. Augustine
Charleston
and, slipping slightly, San Antonio

Can I go wrong with any of these??

San Antonio is certainly not the eighth largest city in the USA. Maybe in Texas, but not the country. It is a great place with a wonderful walkable area, Riverwalk. Plenty of .....bars there. Check out http://www.sanantoniocvb.com/ for some info.

I was in St. Augustine last week and had a great time. I stayed at the Inn on St. Francis. $139 a day including breakfast, cocktail/apps, and a dessert bar. Free bikes for guests and it is haunted. A number of excellent restaurants in the area.

I will be in Naples/Ft.Myers in February so certainly I would agree it has great appeal. Add to that the fact that a resident frequents this board with outstanding counsel (NeoPatrick).

Can't go wrong with Charleston in my opinion and trust me you will have no trouble finding a dozen rocking bars with all you can drink.

Looks to me like you have a pretty good working list!

It looks like I have to eat my words. I just checked on the rankings and you are right, San Antonio is listed as number eight. As we say in the South &quot;Well, shut my mouth&quot;....though I should have looked before I jumped, I apologize. All I can say in my own defense is that I don't think the size of San Antonio accurately reflects the &quot;feel&quot; of the area. It is a great city for visitors and very manageable. My apologies for my mistake.

I thought San Antonio was actually #7 in the latest census figures . . .

but cmcfong: You are right that the San Antonio &quot;metro&quot; area isn't nearly one of the largest - I don't think it even cracks the top 25. It doesn't have a lot of suburbs like most of the &quot;major&quot; cities do, so it doesn't feel all that big. (Or so I'm told by my Texan friends, since I've never actually been there.)

My parents visited it recently and really enjoyed it, much more than they thought. I think it would be warmer than Charleston, which will still be pretty chilly in February.

Much of the US is considerably colder than Ireland - so to avoid any snow or possibility of winter weather you'll have to go quite far south (FL, south texas, southern Cali, pars of Arizona, New Mex). Even Georgia and north Texas can get snow and ice storms. (There's a reason FL is mobbed in Jan/Feb.)

Yes, even Tennessee - or any place with mountains has a resonable chance of cold weather and snow. You might well get 50's - but 30's are also possible.

Rigarama--

I'm here to put San Antonio back in the running! :)

I live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and the weather will probably be warm enough even here for no coats. But it <i>definitely</i> will be warm enough in San Antonio.

One of the great things about San Antonio is that you are just a short drive from Austin, which also has a lot to offer. You're also just an hour or so from Fredericksburg, a wonderful hill-country town settled by some German immigrants. Great shopping and beautiful scenery. (It is known as the &quot;hill country&quot;.)

In San Antonio itself- tons of stuff to do for the family! There is the Alamo and SeaWorld, and Six Flags Amusement Park. There is the Riverwalk and if you like American basketball, the San Antonio Spurs are one of the best teams in the league. You can buy tickets on line, they will be playing in February. :)

I think you cannot go wrong with San Antonio!!

Good luck and have fun!!!

[You might well get 50's - but 30's are also possible.]

The same can be said for south Alabama &amp; the panhandle of FL.

Too bad you couldn't make in in January, when Mardi Gras is going on in Mobile (and of course NO, but if you want smaller, you'd want Mobile).
http://tinyurl.com/yov48y

However, IMO, Charleston is a better suggestion.